Print versus Online Journalism Essay

Custom StudentMr.
TeacherENG
1001-04
19 February 2017

Print versus Online Journalism

In almost any part of the world, the journalists are the people who deliver to us the daily news, significant events, updates, celebrity scoops, and other bits of information. Traditionally, journalists obtain their news through extensive research, interviews, and leg work among others. After hours, days, or even weeks of research, journalists then write and craft their pieces which eventually land on the front page of the newspapers. This sequence of actions is called print journalism.

However, due to the rise of technology, people are now able to publish stories and articles on the Internet. Life stories, opinions, and other information can be aired and accessed by people through websites such as blog sites and social networking sites, among others. This new form of posting information resulted in what is now known as online journalism.

Print and online journalism are both similar and different from each other in a lot of ways. There basic point of similarity is that they both contain information that is accessible by the public. This information may include daily news stories, sports updates, business news, health news.

However, the main difference between the two is that in print journalism, these stories are published in broadsheet newspapers, magazines, and tabloids, among others, while in online journalism, the news and other information is basically published solely in websites. Usually, the information given by both forms of journalism may be accessed through subscriptions. However, certain newspapers, such as the New York Times, can be accessed online for free.

Moreover, compared to print journalism, online information is easily accessed. People simply have to connect to the Internet and view the web page that contains their desired information. On the other hand, printed information in the newspapers and magazines are bought in stores and magazine stands.

However, possibly the most important difference between the two is how journalism is practiced. The practice of conventional journalism, without a doubt, requires critical analysis, logical thinking, mastery or knowledge of grammar, and most of all, commitment to the truth. This is usually the case with people who are involved in print journalism, most especially, the ones writing for established and highly credible newspapers.

On the other hand, in online journalism, except perhaps for the websites of major dailies, most websites are not edited and proofread properly which results in erroneous or inaccurate information and grammatically incorrect sentences or phrases.

In short, the most important and most notable difference between the two is that online journalism lacks that true essence journalism per se as compared to print journalism where people know and have possibly mastered the fundamentals such as grammar, style, and logical construction.

Moreover, a majority of people involved in online journalism are not actually journalists by profession. These so-called “online journalists” may not have undergone proper training so technically they do not have the authority and capability that print journalists have.

Over-all, it can be said that online journalism is not journalism at all and is only a term that spawned from the boom of technology as compared to print journalism which follows traditional practices of journalism.